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Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

Jim: He has a british accent so he must be right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDzBe0_SLVo

12/01/23 06:27 AM

#13412

Donna Kelley (Velazquez)

Jim - Unfortunately the news is true. After three years of continuous hot, dry weather they announced in September that the water level for Catalunya was at 27%. While heavy rains have fallen in other areas of Spain in recent weeks they haven't reached Barcelona. The water level is now at 18%. Daily water use per person has been reduced by 5 gallons and they will have to ship in water to Bcn in the coming months. If the water level drops to 16% capacity we will be facing a full-blown drought emergency which would mean more personal use restrictions as well as prior approval needed for agricultural irrigation in a sector that is already really hurting from the drought. Of course less water capacity is also driving up the water bills which is especially hard on large families and people of limited means.

Thanks for checking in, Jim. Julio and I are doing fine and have just turned to drinking more wine!

12/01/23 10:22 AM

#13413

12/01/23 02:23 PM

#13414

Donna,

Sounds scary!

12/01/23 02:37 PM

#13415

From Garrison Keillor:

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more

The Column: 12.1.23

GARRISON KEILLOR

DEC 1

READ IN APP

The Communion hymn in church last Sunday was “All People That on Earth Do Dwell,” which I cherish for the lines “Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice: serve him with mirth,” which is the only time comedy is mentioned in our hymnal, I do believe. There’s joy and rejoicing and gladness, but the thought of serving our Creator with jokes is rather rare and, I think, beautiful. I’m not sure I know exactly what joy is but I do know the one about the engineer who sees another engineer rolling a little pellet between his fingers and saying, “I’m trying to figure out if this is more rubbery or more like plastic,” and the first engineer takes the pellet from him and says, “There is plasticity to it but there’s a viscosity, a sort of liquidity too” and he puts it in his mouth and says, “And there’s a salinity to it as well. Where did you get it?” The other engineer says, “Out of my nose.”

12/01/23 03:25 PM

#13416

Jim:

There is sound in space, though only under specific conditions.

And I don't think we're equipped to whatever frequency and or conditions under which it takes place.

And I got too tired of just reading up about it to say much more on the subject.

Meanwhile, in the realm of things I'd just as soon not listen to, I think I dated this little girl's grandma.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/JCkF3bvQMPw

12/02/23 10:28 AM

#13417

Just curious:

I grew up with three sisters. Never had a brother. When I look back at my life I realize the vast majority of my close friendships have been with women. My best friend over the past 20 years is a woman who hired me to teach writing classes at a pretty little college down here. I have had male friends, a couple of close ones, and I have done dude stuff over the years now and then, touch football etc., and I'm crazy as ever about osu sports, but my comfort level, for intimate problem-solving heart to hearts and just socializing and bs-ing, has been and will always be with the opposite sex.

I just wonder how unusual that is. I'd guess not terribly so - I mean I don't do girly stuff, girly events or whatever, though I'd be comfortable, probably more comfortable that most men, in a girly-stuff setting. Then again as a journalist you wind up in a lot of settings where you wouldn't otherwise be.

But definitely, all in all, I'm thinking it's a shade or so out of the norm. I have just taken it for granted over the years and never thought too much about it until recently. Of course my theory is that, again, I had three sisters, two of whom very close to my age. As it happens we're far apart - Katie staying in Clintonville, Ellen moving with her husband out west, Molly, bless her soul, living in bexley with quite the brood - 8 I think.

So: Anybody on the theory that we can sometimes be shaped by our sibling relationships to the extent that it makes us more comfortable with one sex or the other over the course of our lives.

Hell, I should be writing this as a column. If so thanks for reading the rough draft.

My apologies for being so - love this word - garrolous.

12/02/23 02:12 PM

#13418

Mike,

As for your post just prior to this one, I am in perfect agreement with theyoung lady,

"yack yack. yack yack, yack yack". But she says it so well.

-------------------

As for your last post, I have had a somehwat simmilar experience, except that I became very conscious of it many years ago, and made a greater effort to have more "deep" conversations with several male best buddies.

Yeas ago, I read a book called (I think) "Men and Friendship", written by a woman author (forgt her name)

She comments on how men draw further inward after they leaveteh social world of their schooling, Many are able to prolog it by joining fraternities, the military, or social clubs (fishing, woodworking, golf, etc.)

It is an intersting part of our Marked Men for Christ retreats, because one of the core isues we deal with is this very asme principle, which I call the "I Got This" syndrome - I am a guy. I am strong and tough. I don't need any help. I got this. We invite men to acknowledge this and allow themselves to open up to their brothers and accept our common weakness. Somewhere through our 44 hour weekends, you see guys discovering the idea, "Oh My Gosh, I'm not alone. I'm not the only guy with a problem. We're all in this together - we are all brothers - flawed and imperfect!

It's pretty exciting to go through one of our weeked retreats and see this change come over guys.

----------------

Speaking of "imperfection",,,,,,,it's about this food...... absolutely abysmal.

If I didn't ave neighbors and church friends bringng me snacks (powdered doughnuts and pretzels) I might have expired by now. I think I have lost 18 pounds lying in this god awful hspital bed.

12/02/23 11:39 PM

#13419

Joseph D. McCarthy

Dave, speaking from experience, I have some very bad news for you. You have at least thirty (30) more pounds to lose before they will totally release you. So "Enjoy" what you can.

12/04/23 12:51 PM

#13420

I think it's only fair to point out that Liz Cheney ommitted a significant fact in her new book.

She failed to mention the fact that I have someting in common with Donald.

"he's not eating" applies to both of us (but, in my case, for good reason)

However there is one noteworthy difference - Kevin McCarthy never flew down to meet me. (he was probably afraid to, because he knew I would likely have beaten him about the head and shoulders with a section of rubber hose)

---------------------

Honestly, food this bad should be illegal!

12/04/23 05:59 PM

#13421

Joseph Gentilini

David, I hope ;you get released from the hospital soon and your recovery is complete and not long. Sending good thoughts and prayers. joe

12/05/23 12:23 PM

#13422

Thanks Joe,

They tell me we are aiming for a release just before Christmas. My 3 kids all came back for a few days again - from Puget Sound, Portland OR, and Cincinnati. A Great surprize. And they are bringing real food every day!

My youngest daughter from Cinci, has reall been a huge help. I can't imagine going though this without lots of help. I would not wish this on anyone.

12/06/23 03:07 AM

#13423

Dave,

Hospital food? Does it rival MRE's?

Jim

12/06/23 10:31 AM

#13424

1) rip norman lear. died at 101. i see a lot more obits of peeps getting to the century mark. gives me hope that i can get there myself once i kick my drag racing habits and my heroin addiction.

lear was one of the most groundbreaking writers of our era, opening up pablum tv territory to an exploration of the the cultural revolution that characterized our generation and those that followed.

on another front: guess I am a weirdo but I loved mre's.

I remember finding them somewhere years after I was mustered out and buying a bunch -- not just for sentimental reasons. they sure weren't fancy but if you heated them and weren't too fussy i remember them as being pretty good.

12/06/23 03:28 PM

#13425

Jim,

You mean these? We called them "C-rations". (far better than this hospital "food")

They came in 8 meal choices - the beef, pork, and cchicken meals were pretty bad. But if I could get the Beans and and Franks, or the Spaghetti and meat balls, I was in luck. We had to grab one each morning at the Mess Hall during breakfast, but I was often late (slept in) and had to settle fot what ever was left. Then I woulld bargain later in the day for a trade to get ome od my favorites.

Note: I once stumbled onto shelves full of "Van Kamps Beanie weenies" at a remote little PX at Soc Trang airfiled (ony there once)hey had several cases of Van Kamps and told me there was no limit on my purchase. I bought 2 cartons (24 cans ea.), threw them on my ship and flew home. I had Beanie Weeneys for months!

It doesn't get much better than that!!!!!!

(I'd give my kingdom for one of those today)

12/06/23 03:38 PM

#13426

Jim,

Truth be known, we really only dined at the finest local restaurants when we were out flying th daily mission.

I seem to recall this frequent favorite - "Chez Side-of-the-Runway"

12/06/23 05:32 PM

#13427

Dave,

What was the name (or was it a "number") of that inch+ long can opener gizmo used to open those cans of goodies?

Jim

12/06/23 06:51 PM

#13428

Jim,

You must be referring to the little device known as the "P-38".

Perhaps the single most ingenious invention known to mankind - that is of course after the wheel. Folds flat to be worn safely on our dog tag chain around our neck. Folds open to rip open any can - and other tasks.

(the secret is in that little oval shaped partial opening mid-way down the side, just below the base of the cutter)

12/06/23 07:21 PM

#13429

Dave,

Yep, that's the one!

Thanks,

Jim

12/07/23 11:21 AM

#13430

Joseph Gentilini

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MICHAEL B.

Have a wonderful birthday next week.

joe

12/07/23 11:58 AM

#13431

A Rough Rut

This buck probably did not win a doe this year. Better luck in 2024!

Jim

12/07/23 12:39 PM

#13432

Jim,

Looks like he should have taken a more balanced approach.

12/07/23 08:36 PM

#13433

John Jackson

Could it be that buck just wasn't horny enough?

12/07/23 10:55 PM

#13434